Tobacco-stemming machine.



No. 652,008. Patented lune I9, 1900. J. E. SCHOOLFIELD &. G. M. GUEBRANT. TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE. [Application filed Mar. 21, 1899.)

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J. E. SCHOOLFIELD &G. M. GUERRANT.

TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

(Application filed Km. 91, 1899.)

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UNITED STAT S- PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. SCHOOLFIELD AND GEORGE M. GUERRANT, OF DANVILLE,

' VIRGINIA.

TOBACCO-STEMMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,008, dated June 19, 1900.

Application filed March 21, 1899- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES E. SoHooL- FIELD and GEORGE M. GUERRANT, citizens of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Pittsylvania and State of Virginia, have invented an Improvement in Tobacco- Stemming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In machinery for stemming tobacco the leaf 5 fpreferably in the form of an inflated rubber .tube,passing around the pulleys 6 and 7, and this belt is slightly detained by a roller at D so that it may have a slower motion than the has in some instances been taken with the butt or larger end of the stem atthe end that advances, and the leaf, has been drawn off the stem by the action of rollers or other devices, and in some instances the stem of the leaf has been grasped and carried through the machine by chains and the thinner portions of the leaf have been drawn ofi by the action of card-clothing or other devices. In these cases the stem, being grasped only at one point and being subject to a progressive pulling action, is liable to be injured and sometimes broken. The present improvement is made with reference to grasping the stem progressively and for allowing the leaf tohang vertically as the thinner portions of the leaf are removed; and to effect these objects the strip-' pers or stemming devices do not penetrate the leaf or act to tear the same, and by the leaf hanging vertically the stem is grasped progressively and drawn ofi, allowing the leaf to be separated and fall away.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section. Fig. 3

is a cross-section, in larger size, at 'y y, Figs. 1

and 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrat ing the action of the devices that vibrate the scraping-belt. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the cutter for separating the stem near theend of the leaf. Fig. 6 represents one of the stripping-belts, indicating the preferred form of notches in the edge thereof. Fig. 7 is a cross-section at a; 00, Fig. 2, showing the devices that act upon the stem as it is delivered from the machine. Fig. 8 is. an

elevation of one of the conical pulleys for the stripper-belts, showing the manner in'which the same is mounted so that the pulley can yield under the vibration of the belt.

The framework of the machine is illustrated at A, and the feeding-belts B B pass around the respective pulleys C O, the axes orshafts .to be driven by suitable power. represented a shaft 4 and bevel-gears at 5, by

Serial No. 709,933. (No model.)

of which stand vertical, and these pulleys are We have which the vertical shafts of the pulleys C T may be revolved. Upon these belts are cleats 5 or crossing projections at distances apart to give room for the stem of onele'af to pass in 3 between one cleat and the next.

Between the feeding-beltsB B is a belt D,

belts B B as it receives its motion from such belts.

While we have represented pulleys and belts for giving motions to the respective parts of this machine, we do not limit ourselves to the devices represented, but may vary the same as it may become necessary.

The objects of the devices thus far described are to separate and feed in the tobacco-leaves, and the leaves are to be supplied by hand between the respective belts B and B and the belt B, there being a guard in the form of a glass plate or other device D above the belt, so that the attendant can press the upperends of the stemsagainst this.

guard as they are entered in between the belts, and as the leaves hang bythe grasping action of these belts and the belts B B are traveling at a faster speed than the belt D each stem will receive a turning motion,which will help to separate one leaf from the next as the attendant passes the leaves in at opposite sides of the belt D, one stem being allowed to remain in each space between the cleats on the belts, and they are gripped progressively by the respective belts and moved along into the machine, there being suflicient space below the belts for the" leaves to hang vertically andfreely, and it is to be understood that the shanks or largest ends of the leaves are uppermost and between the respective belts. Hence if two stems are presented simultaneously they will be separated by the action of the belts in consequence of the action of the belts upon the stems, so that when the leaves reach the distant ends of the belts they are separated and in a vertical po-- sition, and the cleats are so placedupon the leaves at a sufiicient distance from the large ends'of the stems for such large ends of the.

I cal,and they are revolved at the proper speed,

belts that the leaves at one side of the belt D come in ,.between the leaves from the other side of the belt, and they pass from between the belts B, B, and D in between the pair of belts E E, which are at a lower level than the belts B, B, and D, so as to grasp the stems to be taken by the belts hereinafter described. These feed-belts E Eare upon pulleys Sand 9; the shafts of which stand vertiso as to convey away the leaves and carry them into the stemming devices.

We make use of two closely-adjacent ranges of inclined belts F F, which pass around the inclined rolls 1O 11, so that the belts FF have an upward inclination, and the top belts are the longest, and the end rolls 10 can be made use of for giving motion to the belts, and the rolls 11 are separateone for each beltand occupy a substantially-horizontal range, although the axis of each roll is inclined. These ranges of belts are so placed that they receive between them the upper ends of the tobaccostems and they are close enough together to grasp such stems,-and in consequence of the upward inclination of the belts the stems are lifted bodily as they are moved along, the object being to draw-up the stems as theleaf portions of the tobacco are scraped off or.

pressed down and stripped from the stems v and delivered. Rollers may be applied as shown-by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so as to keep the adjacent faces of the belts F sufficiently close to each other to firmly clamp the butts of the stems between said belts as said stems are carried along by said belts.

Said rollers 40 are shown upon the axes of the pulleys 11 and are of the same diameter as said rollers. 11.

Itis to be understood that the framework.

of'the machine is constructed with reference to carrying the respective devices and that the belts receive their motion from any suitable power. We have, however, represented -a driving-shaft l2, bevel-gearing 13, longitudinal shafts 14, and bevel-gearing 15 t0 the shafts of the rolls 10, and the shaft 12 is driven 'byany suitable device; but the sprocket-wheels 16 and chains 17 are shown as a convenientmeans for connecting the t upward'by the actions of the inclined bolts; 1 ,[We find'it advantageous to make use-or" shaft 12 to the shaft 4:.

We make use of strippers G, .which occupy substantially horizontal positions and act' upon the leaves to separate the same from the stems as the stems are drawn up, and these strippers are advantageously of thin sheet metal notched uponrthe adjacent edges, so

ast'o grasp the leaves with the stems in the notches, and the plates of these strippers advantageously lap at theiredges sufiiiciently for the stems to occupy the bottoms of the notches,and hence the leaf portions are drawn I ofi from the stems as the stems are carried strippers in the form of endless metal belts and to give to these belts a progressive movement corresponding, or nearly so,to the movement given to the stems by the ranges of inclined belts, and we also find it advantageous 'to vibrate these strippers, so that they may move up and down upon the stems, the object of the motion being to prevent the leaves becoming entangled or the stems broken by a continuous pull in one direction, because as the strippers move upward they tend to detach the leaf portions in one direction and moving downward to detach such leaf portions in the other direction, so that the stems are freed entirely from the leaf portions, except in some instances slight portions of the leaves which may remain near the butts or upper ends of the stems, and these may be removed-as hereinafter indicated. I

' We have represented the endless-belt strippers G as passing around the conical pulleys H H, which are provided with flanges 18, thatserve to keep the stripper-belts in alinement, and the stripper belts are brought closely together at their upperparts, so that the leaves pass in between them as they are moved along by the belts E E F F, and the lower portions of the stripper-belts Gr are sufliciently distant one from the other not to come in contact with the leaves as they hang should the leaves belong. The conical pu-lleys H H receive motion by any suitable gearing or belts. We have represented the bevel-gears I =1 for communicatingvmotion to the conical pulleys H. H from the shaft 12.

The stripper-belts G are also vibrated, as hereinafter indicated, and to allow for this movement the conical pulleys H are each provided with a stud or shaft 33, fitted to turn in a bearing 34:, and said bearing has a pivot 35 in a plane belowithe shaft 33, passlng into a bearing 36, secured-to the fra me A.

A spring 19 is connected at one end to thebearing 34and at the other end ;to an arm connected to'the bearing 36. 'It will now be understood by reference to 'Fi-gssl and 8 that the pulleys 'H rotate 'upon'the sh-afts 33 and :can swing upon the pivots 35 as the stripperbelts are vibrated and that the springs 19 tend to movethe pulleys 'Hin a direction away'from the pulleys H, thereby-keeping the gripper-belts always under the V proper tension; To vibrate such belts vertically,any

suitable mechanism may be made use of. A device, however, is specially illustrated in Fig. 4, in which't'here is represented a jawplate K, through which the stripper -be1t passes, and this jaw-plate is sustained upon a vertical standard 20, in which is the horizontal slot receiving a crank-pin upon a pulley 21, that is revolved by a belt 32, passing around a pulley on the shaft 12, and the crankpin carries the standard and the j aw-plate up and down, and with it the stripper-belt, and a similar device'is applied at each side, and hence these belts as they vibrate act progressively iuscraping down the leaf portions as down.

the stems are drawn up, and the leaf portions are below the strippers G as the leaves hang of a pair of rolls L, which pass along closely? below the strippers G- and are advantageously grooved helically in their surfaces, and they are revolved rapidly by an ysuitable mechanism-such, for instance, as the endless belts 22and these rolls L draw down between them the loose portions of theleavfes that have been scraped ofi the stems and finally deliver thesame downwardly as'soon as the stems have been cut by the circular cutters M, andsaid rolls also maintain asufficient tension on the stems to being lifted as the strippers rise.

It is generally advantageous to cut th'estems near their smallest ends by the cutters M, (shown specially in Fig. 5,).and thev-fine portions of the stems are not detrimental when 1 they remain along with the leaf portions, and this also allows .the two halves of the leaf portions to remain connected. The cutters M are shown as circular and supported on jaw-arms that allow the cuttersto rise and fall with the strippers G.

Where the notches in the stripper-belts are made as shown in Fig. 6, they have a series of projecting points that aid in stemming the leaves, and the stripper-belts should lap one over the other, and the stems are received in the notches, and the belts should lap the most at the delivery end, so that the smaller parts of the stems will be properly acted upon by the notohedstrip'pers. After the leaves have been stemmed should there be any leaf portions adhering near the upper ends or butts of the stems such stems may be taken between a pair of rolls N, which are preferably of rubber, and drawn down and delivered, there being notched circular strip,

pers P, that are immediately above the rollers, so as to be moved by the forward action of the stems, and these strippers P scrape oif any portions or leavesthat may remain upon the stems near their 'butt ends as the stems are drawn down by the rollers N.

It is advantageous to have two of the belts in the inclined ranges of belts F F longer than the others to pass out sufficient-1y far to carry the stems in between the rolls N, that draw said stems down andrdeliver them. These strip-' pers P and rollers N are removed from Fig. l for greater clearness; but the parts are shown-in Figs. 2 and 7. The rolls N maybe revolved by any suitable means. We have represented pulleys and belts at 23 for giving motion to the same.

We claim as our invention 7 1. Twofeeding-belts and an intermediate belt, the feeding-belts having cross-cleats or projections upon them for the stems of the tobacco-leaves to pass in between one cleat and i the next, and the intermediatebelt causing the separation of the leaves where two or forth.

preventiltheir "more may come opposite the notch between the cleats on the belts, substantially as set 2. Inatobacco-stemming machine,thecombination of a pair of feeding-belts for carrying in the leaves with the larger ends or butts upward, and the leaves hanging vertical, a second pair of belts at a lower level than the first pair of belts for receiving the leaves from said first pair of belts and grasping them lower down than the first pair of bolts,

gand stemming devices adjacent to said sec- ;ond -pair of beltsand into whichstemming Ede-vices the leaves are delivered by said pair ?of second belts with the butts projecting at ithe proper height, substantially as specified. 3. In atobacco-stemming machine, the combination with the stripping devices, of ranges 50f inclined belts that act to draw out the jstems'from'between the stripping devices, {substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the devices for moving the tobacco -leaves progressively through the machine, of a pair of stripping- :belts with notches in their adjacent edges to grasp the stems of the leaves, and means for ivibrating such belts as the stemming, opera tion progresses, substantially as specified.

5. In a tobaccostemming machine, two stripping-belts with notches in their adjacent edges to grasp the stems of the leaves, and means for withdrawing the stems as they are carried along by the stripping devices,- substantially as set forth. s

6. The combination in a tobacco-stemming machine, of ranges of inclined belts for hold ing the stems, a pair of stripping-belts with notches in their adjacent edges for removing the leaf portions from the stems, and mech anism for giving to the strippers a vibratory movement, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination in a tobacco-stemming machine, of a pair of stripper belts with notches in their adjacent edges, means "for vibrating the same,.rangesof inclined belts for grasping the stems and a pair of revolving rolls acting below the strippers for drawing down between them the leaf portions as separated from the stems, substantially as set forth.

. 8. The combination in a tobacco-stemming machine, of -a pair of stripper-belts with notches in their adjacent edges, means for vibrating the same, ranges of inclined belts for jaws and'vibrating the belts, substantially as set forth.

a crank and shaftfor giving motion to the bro V 19- The, mbinationin atoba o-s em'mzingmachinemf-twoendless' stripperabelts notched} on their adjacent edges, pulleys for giving a progressiye movement to such belts, jaws and 'a crank and shaft for giving motion 30.417118 jaws and vibrating the belts, and a pair of rollers below the strippers and meansifor re; volying the same to draw down anddeliverj Y the leaf portions, s'ubstantiallyas' set forth. s 11; The combination inamachinefOr-stemr I ming'tebapco,jof'inclined belts for withdra w ing-;the stems, strippersfor removingqthe leaf pertionaa pair of rollers'and means for ate-w vlvin g the'same for drawing down the stems 1 and rotary notched strippers above such rolls for liemovingany -leaf that may adhere t-othe stems near the butt-ends thereof, "subs-tan I as setforth.

1 12. The combination in amachine for stem.- ming tobacco, of two feeding-'beltszand an i-n.-- termediate circular belt acting tospread the 'stems upon-the feeding-belts, substantiallyzas j t fo th- 13, Inat baccQ-stemming machinmranges of inclined belt for carrying the leaves :in a a hangingipositiomin combinationwith yibrat-g ing strippenbelts below said ranges of inclinedtbelts that act progressive-1y from the larger partsrofthe stems toward the ends (of the leaves and strip the leaves while the'stems anecarnied upward and along by said inclined belts, substantially as specified;

-14."I n a -.tobacco,-stemming. machine, -the combination with the pair. of notched stripping belts and -the two ranges .of inclined belts one belt of .eachrange of belts extend.- ing beyond'qthe other'belts of the range, of a pairof rollers N to draw-down the stems and 'a' vpair of circular notched strippers 'to .strip any-leaves remaining en the stems as said stemslare drawn down 'bysaid rollers, substan-tia-lly asspecified.

15'. In a tobacco-stemming mach-ineftwo strippers notched on their adjacent edges to grasp the stems, in .cembination withrranges efinclinedsbelts that act to drawlout the stems from between the stripping devices, substantially as set forth. a p n S-i'gned by us this 15th day .of'Ma'rch ,"1899. JAMES 'E. SGHOOLFIELD.

v GEO. M. GUERRANT. itnesseszf v -D. P, WITHVERS;

R0131. JAMI-ESON. 

